Riyadh: People who torture and maim animals should be named and shamed, in addition to other legal sanctions, the Saudi Shoura Council has announced. The Council noted that some people would not only torture animals, but film their actions and upload the clips on social media for others to watch. The committee’s chairman, Ali Al-Tikhais delivered the reports. He said, naming animal torturers would act as an effective deterrent. Tikhais said if the criminals were not severely punished and named, their peers might believe such actions are permissible under the law.
The Shoura Council took up the matter after several video clips showing cruelty to animals went viral on the Internet. A video clip showing a man running over a dog several times with his four-wheeler, until the animal died, in Al-Jouf region earlier this year, prompted a strong reaction among tweeters who called for the man and the person who filmed the incident to be brought to justice.
The tweeters described the act as “inhumane” and urged the authorities to take action. The incident took place in a desert area.
Another clip circulated on social media showed a driver dragging a dog that was tied to his fast-moving vehicle on a street.
The tweeters asked the Saudi Wildlife Authority (SWA), responsible for the conservation and development of wildlife, to develop strong laws that would lead to harsh penalties for anyone who tortures animals. n
(english.alarabiya.net)